Accession No
1899.86
Description
Gilt copper alloy square headed brooch. The headplate is decorated with three concentric rectangular panels; the central panel set with garnet and flanked by four-armed spirals. The outer frame is decorated with style 1 zoomorphic ornament. The top two corners are decorated with protruding masked birds' heads and there is a central human marks protruding from the top edge. Low-arched bow with central circular setting for a lost garnet and with a central longitudinal ridge and grooved facets. The lappets extend from the flat panel immediately beneath the bow and are moulded in the form of helmeted beasts. The foot is lozenge-shaped with a central lozenge setting for a lost garnet and protruding lobes in the form of masked human profiles and flat wings which may originally have been plated in silver. Human mask terminal with curved brows, protruding eyes, curling moustache and pierced mouth; geometric, possibly originally silvered lip. The foot is broken above the terminal and has a contemporary repair which has been reinforced in modern times. Double pin-bar lugs and catchplate present on reverse as well as remains of an iron pin.
Place
Europe; British Isles; England; Suffolk; Lakenheath
Period
Anglo Saxon
Source
Cambridge Antiquarian Society [monetary donor]; Freeman, Samuel J. [collector]
Department
Arch
Reference Numbers
1899.86; MAA: Z 21357; AR 1899.352
Cultural Affliation
Material
Metal; Copper alloy; ?Bronze; Gold; Garnet; Iron
Local Term
Measurements
65mm x 0mm x 118mm Weight 0.0064531kg
Events
Loan (Exhibition)
Sutton Hoo Visitor Centre
Suffolk, temporary exhibition at the Sutton Hoo visitor centre, Suffolk
Event Date
Author: maa
Context (References)
Greiff, S., Hilgner, A. and Quast, D. (eds). Simply Gold, Simply Red: Results of an International Project on Early Medieval Garnet Jewellery. Mainz: RGZM (in press)
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)
Context (References)
Hilgner, Alexandra. Garnet in Early Medieval England: The meaning, provenance and distribution of garnet decorated objects from the late 5th to the early 8th century. Mainz. (PhD thesis in prep.)
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn
Description (Physical description)
Accession Register for 1899.86-87: 'Square-topped [fibulae] with central arms, covered with elaborate decoration, one set with 3 garnets (2 missing), both being gilt; l. 4".8, br. 2".5'
Event Date 1899
Author: maa
Context (References)
(1901). 'Annual General Meeting.' Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society. vol. X. p. 155.
Event Date 1901
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson
Context (References)
Page, William. (ed.). (1911). The Victoria History of the County of Suffolk. vol. 1. p. 344-345.
Event Date 1911
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson
Context (Field collection)
Aberg, Nils. (1926). The Anglo-Saxons in England During the Early Centuries After the Invasion. Cambridge: W. Heffer & Sons Ltd. p. 198.
Event Date 1926
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson
Context (References)
Leeds, E. Thurlow. (1949). A corpus of early Anglo-Saxon great square-headed brooches. Clarendon Press: Oxford. p. 23. pl. A3 19.
Event Date 1949
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson
Context (References)
Meaney, Audrey. (1964). A Gazetteer of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites. George Allen and Unwin Ltd: London. p. 230.
Event Date 1964
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson
Context (References)
Hines, John. (1997). A new Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Great Square-Headed Brooches. The Boydell Press: Suffolk. pl. 4.
Event Date 1997
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson
Context (References)
West, Stanley. (1998). A Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Material from Suffolk. East Anglian Archaeology, EAA 84. pp. 73-80
Event Date 1998
Author: Lily Stancliffe
Context (CMS Context)
Freeman Collection from same burial field as 1897 nos. 126 onwards.
Found 1898
Event Date 5/4/2001
Author: maa
Context (CMS Context)
Exhibited in 'Far Fetched Treasures', Sutton Hoo Visitor Centre, March to October 2003.
Event Date 10/1/2014
Author: Imogen Gunn
Context (Analysis)
This object travelled to Romisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum (RGZM), Mainz, Germany in March 2014 as part of a project to analyse the garnets using micro-X-Ray-Fluorescence to determine their source. See loan file for more details.
Event Date 3/2014
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)
Context (Acquisition Details)
At some point, 1899.86 was reaccessioned as Z 21357. The Catalogue card for Z 21357 has the following entry 'See 1897.56'.
Event Date 22/11/2016
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson
Description (Physical description)
Gilt bronze square headed brooch with a square of red glass set in the centre of the head. Restored.
Event Date 11/4/2016
Author: Imogen Gunn
Description (Physical description)
Gilt copper alloy square headed brooch. The headplate is decorated with three concentric rectangular panels; the central panel set with garnet and flanked by four-armed spirals. The outer frame is decorated with style 1 zoomorphic ornament. The top two corners are decorated with protruding masked birds' heads and there is a central human marks protruding from the top edge. Low-arched bow with central circular setting for a lost garnet and with a central longitudinal ridge and grooved facets. The lappets extend from the flat panel immediately beneath the bow and are moulded in the form of helmeted beasts. The foot is lozenge-shaped with a central lozenge setting for a lost garnet and protruding lobes in the form of masked human profiles and flat wings which may originally have been plated in silver. Human mask terminal with curved brows, protruding eyes, curling moustache and pierced mouth; geometric, possibly originally silvered lip. The foot is broken above the terminal and has a contemporary repair which has been reinforced in modern times. Double pin-bar lugs and catchplate present on reverse as well as remains of an iron pin.
Event Date 18/5/2021
Author: Lily Stancliffe
FM:74170
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